Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

A number of delegates have turned up today at the request of the joint committee and Deputy Timmy Dooley who was concerned by the "RTÉ Investigates" programme. It is very good for the committee to provide an opportunity for the delegates to put forward their views on the programme which I did not see. I understand from my councillor colleagues in Donegal County Council, of which Mr. Neely is chief executive, that the council is doing its utmost to solve the problem. The members of the council are very concerned about the issues raised and the council has taken appropriate action to deal with what was raised at the time. That is what I understand the position to be. Donegal is a very large county and it is very hard to watch every cowboy who is likely to start dumping somewhere in it. I do not know the extent of the problem.

Offaly County Council controls the situation. Is the system fit for purpose or would it be better to delegate in order that councils would have more control in the granting of licences? This arrangement was brought forward when I was a councillor. It must be more than 15 years since it was brought forward, but perhaps not. Perhaps it has happened since I was a councillor, but there was great debate at the time about licences and waste disposal. RTÉ has done the State some service. When we pay the licence fee, it helps to know that it carries out these investigations. It is a pity that the Environmental Protection Agency is not more active. It could engage in more surveillance and not rely on RTÉ to find out what is happening in the countryside.